Obama to send marines to Darwin

US Marines and warplanes operating in the Northern Territory, and warships and submarines using a West Australian naval base, will constitute a permanently increased military presence in Australia that was announced last night by the US President, Barack Obama, and the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard.

The marines, who will arrive early next year and number 2500 by 2016-17, will spend six months of every year in Australia. They will train alongside Australian forces and, for the first time, undergo training exercises of their own.

The build-up will be additional to the frequent joint training exercises already conducted between Australian and visiting US forces, such as the biennial Operation Talisman Sabre which this year involved more than 14,000 US troops.

The new and increased military presence is a response by the US to the growing power of China and India. While the numbers of new troops involved are not large in US terms, the symbolism of basing them in Australia is significant.

''It sends a signal to the region that the US wants to not only continue its engagement in the Asia Pacific but it wants to enhance it,'' a senior official said. ''Australia wants to enhance the alliance.''

Officials said the build-up was not aimed at any one country in the region but was ''aimed at the fact that the world was heading in our direction''.

Before Ms Gillard and Mr Obama made the announcement last night, the governments of China, Indonesia, India and New Zealand were notified. Straight after the announcement, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam were informed.

Papua New Guinea, East Timor and others will be informed in coming days. The US government had already briefed Japan and South Korea.

Starting early next year, 250 US marines will come to Darwin and spend each dry season camped and performing exercises at the nearby Bradshaw Field training area.

By 2014, the number of marines will be 1000 and by 2016-17, there will be 2500 coming each year for six months. They will be rotated through from other US Pacific bases and belong to a Marine Air-Ground Task Force.

As well as training, the marines will be available for humanitarian and disaster relief.

Once at full strength, each task force will comprise a command element, ground combat troops, logistics and an aviation combat component that will include helicopters such as Black Hawks, Cobras, Hueys and possibly Harrier jump jets.

The second element of the build-up will involve an increase in visits of US warplanes through the Tindal air force base which will need to be expanded.

Loading

While US B-52 bombers regularly train in the Territory, over the next two years there will be increased visits of other aircraft including fighters, refuellers, spy planes and transporters.

The third element will involve US ships and submarines operating out of the Stirling naval base, south of Perth. No time has been set for this to start. The ships and submarines can be nuclear powered but not nuclear armed.

Phillip Coorey writes on news specialising in policy, politics and budget. Based in our Canberra newsroom, Phil is the Australian Financial Review's chief political correspondent. He is a former chief political correspondent for The Advertiser and The Sydney Morning Herald, and a two-time winner of the Paul Lyneham award for press gallery excellence.